1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an endless pulley drive belt and, more particularly, to mechanism for adjustably and releasably coupling distal ends of a length of belt material to form an endless pulley drive belt.
2. DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART, HISTORY AND OBJECTS OF INVENTION
Drive belts for motor vehicles are typically endless webs or bands which are trained around various pulleys. Different motor vehicles require different length drive belts. Automobile "parts stores", conventionally carry a plurality of different length endless belts to accommodate differing requirements. A complete inventory of different length drive belts is relatively expensive because the drive belts are individually packaged and require substantial storage space.
During automotive repair and maintenance, it is sometimes desirable to remove and/or replace an automobile drive belt. Heretofore, this typically required the adjustment of one or more of the pulleys around which the belt is trained. Drive belts also become worn with use and sometimes break at inappropriate times. With apparatus constructed according to the present invention, the belt can be repaired by coupling the distal belt ends together. With apparatus constructed according to the present invention, a drive belt merchant need not carry different length drive belts, having the same cross-sectional belt configuration, but need carry only a single roll of belt material which can be cut to the desired length. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide new and novel apparatus for detachably coupling opposite ends of a selected length of belt material.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide belt-coupling apparatus including a belt-gripping blade which will permit the distal belt ends to be moved toward each other to the desired adjusted positions, but which will inhibit separation of opposite belt ends.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide belt-coupling apparatus which includes a knife-gripping edge attached to one end of a length of belt material for gripping the opposite end of a length of belt material to couple the ends together.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a belt-coupling device which will permit the belt merchants to reduce inventory.
Another object of the present invention is to provide new and novel apparatus for coupling opposite ends of a broken fan belt, or the like.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, as the description thereof proceeds.